Telematics and Driver Safety | Save Time, Save Money, Drive Safe

Your mobile workforce may be affected.

• • • Truck drivers spend 66% of their waking hours driving. Increasing exposure to pollution, allergens, dust, virus and bacteria.
    • Pollution levels inside vehicles are often higher because vehicles take in emissions from surrounding vehicles and recirculate polluted air
    • Surveys have found that pollution levels inside cars can be higher than those in the surrounding ambient air (uk-air.defra.gov.uk)
      
    • Drivers who keep their windows down are exposed to 80 % more air pollution. (University of Surrey survey 2020)
    • Professional drivers in addition to poorer air quality were exposed to four times higher pollution levels when driving than when at home (King’s College London study)
    • The transmission of Covid-19 increases with close contact and poor air ventilation.

So how does this affect your business?

• • • Loss of staff due to Covid self-isolation
    • Increased costs due to the use of agency staff to cover staff sickness
    • Pollution and dust damage reduces vehicle values and harms interiors
    • Poor Health & Safety policies affect recruitment and staff retention
    • The real effect is on operating costs and the bottom line. More costs, Lower profits.

What are the solutions?

The obvious one is to put in place policies similar to those used in an office environment. But are they practical and cost-effective?

• • • Face coverings and a mask-wearing policy is a place to start.
      • • But is this practical and workable in your workplace?
    • Ventilation. Leave the doors open at the start of a shift and open windows on a regular basis.
      • • Again not that practical during the winter months and also exposes staff to external pollution
    • Sanitise the vehicle before a shift or change of drivers.
      
      • This will help but the main issue is ongoing pollution whilst driving or transmission of viruses between staff during a shift.
    • Partitioning.
      
      • Not practical as staff sit side by side in most work vehicles. So social distancing is also not practical.

Are There Technology Solutions?

We have looked at a number of technical solutions for our customers as part of our aim of keeping drivers safe.

• • • Air purification solutions are available to refresh in-vehicle air and remove pollutants on a regular basis.
      • Key is regular filtering and circulation of cleaned filtered air
    • Filtration with Antivirual Coatings. HEPA Filter – Removal of 99% of pollutants.
      • Key is filtering of the smallest particles
    • Antiviral Coating. Covid-19 tested filtration and elimination.
      • Key is traping and destroying bacteria and viruses without releasing harmful byproducts

All affordable with short Return on Investment timescales.